


Rest Easy Now

by UnicornAffair



Series: Ranger Holiday One Shots [6]
Category: Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Christmas, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 11:05:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17120192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnicornAffair/pseuds/UnicornAffair
Summary: It's the first Christmas since Zack's mother had passed away and each member of the team has their own special way of comforting him through this tough time.





	Rest Easy Now

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hearden](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearden/gifts).



> Happy Day 10 of 12 Days of Christmas Fics <3 
> 
> Today's a Gen Zack focus/Team Dynamic fic. Music credits to John Denver (because apparently thats where my mind goes to when it comes to old fashioned country)
> 
> This one is dedicated to my friend/"partner in crime" Ryan. You totally understand what it's like to write something that's a saga length and it's definitely hard to stay dedicated to keep going when it seems like there's just SO much work left to go. You're an inspiration, and have a crazy creative drive. Our friendship this year only feels like it's gotten stronger! I hope you have an amazing holiday <3 Cheers to a New Year and more shenanigans!

It had been almost a full year since Zack’s mother had passed, and Christmas was right around the corner.

As leader of the team, Jason reached out to Zack the only way he really knew how. A beer by a campfire, sitting in silent reflection.

Jason thought back to all the times he fought with his father, over football...over every dumb little thing. He was lucky to be able to go home at night. They didn’t show affection, they didn’t hug, but Jason could nod his head in Sam’s direction and his father would _know_ that despite the bullshit, his son loved him.

He _had_ a family to go home to.

Jason reached out his arm to touch Zack’s shoulder, giving the other young man’s arm a gentle squeeze. “She was an amazing woman, y’know”

It was a _miracle_ she made it as long as she did before succumbing to her illness. She could finally be at peace.

“She was the _best”_ Zack responded with a simple nod of his head, he held out his glass bottle in Jason’s direction, “To my mom”

“To your mom” A simple toast between men, between brothers in arms, a way for them to pay their respects without having to show emotion.

They’d rather let it fester inside.

 

*****

Kimberly approached Zack with a distraction, an adrenaline rush, a reminder of what it feels like to be _alive._ He rode a top of her pterodactyl zord as it flew through the night sky like a shooting star.

The two impulsive adrenaline junkies had a _lot_ in common, especially when it came to _not_ dealing with their problems. If they didn’t want to face it, it was easy to run away, or in this case fly off into the sky so Zack could jump off at a great height...only for Kimberly to swoop down in her zord last second to pick him back up.

Kimberly _didn’t_ want to think of her parents upcoming divorce, she didn’t want to hear the words _custody battle,_ or have the question ‘who do you want to live with?’ thrown at her. She didn’t _want_ to be in the middle so she took herself out of the equation and brought Zack along with her for the ride.

It was easy to forget that their lives were crumbling down around them when they were on top of the world.

Anywhere but Angel Grove.

 

*****

Trini had been avoiding _everyone_ for the past couple of days. She was too occupied with shopping lists and recipes to follow. The yellow ranger carried similarities to her mother in more ways than she’d care to admit. She would pull herself thin if it meant taking care of others, the ranger team was no exception.

“Alpha I need this to be perfect!” She exclaimed, thinking she was alone with the team’s robotic friend. “We have the turkey defrosting, I have to make stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, mac n’cheese, _pies._ I’m feeding three _boys”_ Trini heavily sighed, “Three _ranger_ boys, I swear their stomachs are bottomless pits”

“Ai yi yi Trini, we only have so many hours in a day”

“I don’t _care_ if I’m up all night!” Trini’s voice sounded strained, she didn’t realize that anyone else is in the ship. “Zack _needs_ this dinner. One _perfect_ family dinner” One big reminder that despite losing his mother, he wasn’t _alone._ He still had a _family_ of friends watching out after him, his well being. “This has to go right”

“What can I do to help?” The black ranger revealed himself, stepping out of the dimly lit underground hallway of the spaceship.

Trini’s face fell, this was _supposed_ to be a surprise. Zack didn’t want his best friend to stress herself out, not on his accord. “What can I do to help?” He repeated, softer this time.

A small smile tugged on the yellow rangers lips as she stepped forward, she set a small tool in his hand, “You can peel potatoes”

 

*****

The only one who truly understood what it was like to lose a parent was the blue ranger, Billy. Though he lost his father _years_ ago, that loss would stick with him for years to come.

A shame when people leave the world way before their time.

Billy brought Zack a chess board, revealing that he was the black ranger’s secret santa for the year. He _knew_ how much Zack loved the strategy game...he also knew he _stopped_ playing when his mother passed away. When _his_ dad passed away, he always played country music to try and keep some semblance with him alive. He hoped that by bringing chess back into Zack’s life, that he could bring a small piece of her back.

The blue ranger set up the board game in a desolate room in the ship, a place where no one would think to bother him. He brought an old radio out so they could listen to some background music, “Don’t think I’m going to go easy on you” Billy teased, he _was_ a member of the chess club after all.

Zack made a face as soon as he heard John Denver’s old school country voice come up on the radio, “Seriously?”

Billy nodded his head, flipping the board so Zack could have the black pieces to match his ranger color. Whenever Zack played with his mother he always picked to be on the black side, he always wanted her to have the first turn. That was when he realized what this was all about.

_Country roads_

“Does it get any easier?” Zack asked, moving a pawn up the board.

_Take me home_

“Mmmm” Billy closed his eyes, waving his hand from side to side as he was _feeling_ the music around him.

_To the place, I belong_

It was as if he could feel his father was with him, and he hoped that maybe Zack could feel his mother as well.

_West Virginia, Mountain Mama_

“It does” Billy answered, patting his chest, “But they’re never truly gone...you just gotta keep their _memory_ alive”

_Take me home….country roads_

“One day we’ll see them again”

Zack slowly nodded his head, “One day” taking comfort in the blue ranger’s words. He moved one final piece on the board and sat back, a confident smile on his face when he called, “Checkmate”

Billy’s mouth hung agape, he was _quick_ to ask for a rematch.

Playing chess and listening to country music would become a welcome tradition for the blue and black ranger.

*****

Christmas Day came fast this year. Trini had to fly down to Texas to meet up with extended family. Kimberly had Christmas _Eve_ with her father, which meant she would be back to her mother for Christmas _day._ Jason’s mother hosted the Scott’s extended family to spend the holidays with them. Mrs. Cranston offered Zack a place to go for the holiday, but if every ranger was spending time with their family...he wanted to spend time with his.

Zack spent his Christmas Day at the cemetery with plans of telling his mother _everything_ that had happened in the past couple of weeks. Only when he got there, he noticed that were four distinctly colorful bouquets resting at the foot of her tombstone.

_Red._

_Yellow._

_Pink._

_Blue._

Zack held a white bouquet in his hand and set it on top of the flat marbled surface, he had to let out a heavy sigh, garnering every bit of strength within him to _not_ break down, “Hey mom” His voice cracked, his own damn emotions failing him. “I just wanted to tell you that, I’m going to be okay”

His bottom lip curled into his mouth, nodding his head in an effort to stop his eyes from watering up. “I have people now...you don’t have to worry about me...I’m going to be fine...”

She could rest easy now, for he had a new family to watch over him.


End file.
